I have the honor to hand you herewith for the consideration
of the General Comdg the inclosed copy of a communication recd from Lt
Col Meriwether, Engineer Officer in charge of work in Central Ala
relative to the extension of the Tenn & Ala RR
{Alabama & Tennessee River RR} from Blue Mountain to
Jacksonville.

The same objections to the removal of the iron from the
Gainesville branch {Mississippi, Gainesville &
Tuscaloosa RR} now exist which I had the honor of laying before
the Comdg General when at Jacksonville. I am satisfied that Col.
Meriwether's fear relative to the obstacles to be encountered in an
attempt to take the iron from the Marion {Cahaba,
Marion & Greensboro RR} or the Newbern branches
{North Western RR of Alabama, off of the Alabama &
Mississippi Rivers RR} on but too well founded and that the
stockholders in these roads will meet any such attempt by the military
authorities with an injunction from the civil courts, thereby involving
the military in a contest with the civil authority which will in view of
the present corn situation of public interest in this part of Ala I
think result in serious embarrassments. I have made an appointment to
meet the Presdt of both these roads, and will do all in my power to
reconcile them, and through them, their stockholders to any order the
Genl Comdg may find it necessary to issue in reference to removing their
iron.

Appreciating the magnitude of the difficulties suggested by
Lt Col Meriwether, and believing a knowledge thereof may induce the Genl
Comdg to change his views relative to the proposed extension or perhaps
to entirely abandon it for the present, I forward the enclosure and will
await further instructions before proceeding to take up either of the
roads mentioned to one by him in this connection. This, however, will
occasion no delay to the work in the event of a reiteration of the order
for the extension as I shall proceed to have the necessary implements
collected and make all useful arrangements for expediting the work in
that event. The RR Co too can go on collecting the necessary negroes to
get out cross ties, &c.

Taking into consideration that the necessity for using the
Ala & Tenn RR as a means for supplying the Army of Tenn will probably
exist but a short time, that there is no adequate Warehouse Room at Blue
Mountain and that there is an ample supply of buildings at Oxford I have
directed Brig Genl Adams to have the road from Gadsden to Oxford
immediately worked and thoroughly repaired with the view of making the
latter point the Depot for supplies instead of Blue Mountain. The
distance from Oxford to Gadsden is but a trifle greater than that from
Blue Mountain, and the road is said to be much better and easier kept in
good condition for heavy hauling. If there are not already erected at
Oxford a sufficient number of buildings to protect the supplies that may
accumulate there, from the material can be obtained very near by to
increase them to any number required. I have added largely to the
Rolling Stock of the RRoad from here to Blue Mountain, there are now ten
trains on the road, and I added the additional siding required by this
increased capacity for transportation to be at once laid at the proper
points.